Liberal Japan

Apparently that’s what many Japanese think:

At home, the government faces a longstanding ambivalence toward foreigners. A 2003 survey shows that, while 48 percent of those polled would like to see more foreign tourists, 32 percent don’t. About 90 percent of them blame increased tourism for a “rise in crimes committed by foreigners.”

Link.

From the Japan Times:

… he got off the bridge by going through an unlocked door and down a stairway. He entered a restricted area on the ground but was not spotted by a security guard who was positioned just below the bridge, the sources said. The man walked through the restricted area for more than 500 meters and left the airport through a gate shortly before 10 a.m. without being stopped by any guard.

I wouldn’t suggest this as a way to avoid getting fingerprinted when reentering Japan. It does, however, call into question the whole point of the activity.

In a recent op-ed the editors’ of the WSJ state:

Under the leadership of recent Prime Ministers Junichiro Koizumi and Shinzo Abe, Japan began to accept more responsibility for its own national defense and to play a larger role in international security affairs. It remains to be seen whether Mr. Fukuda fully shares his predecessors’ vision of a revitalized, strong Japan, but last week’s vote suggests he understands what’s at stake.

Japan is “accepting more responsibility for its own national defense” by venturing off to refuel ships and patrol the waters off Afghanistan?

No, I don’t think so. Rather it’s finally seeing the real price of its security alliance with America. So much for the free security lunch.

Let’s make a guess, the more and more America pushes this time, and the more and more the Japanese government acquiesces, the more they will be punished at the polls come election time. We’ll see.

Update: I’ve blogged a few more details on this at my other (not ready for prime time) political blog. Here’s the link.

There’s about a million reasons why Japan should not be fingerprinting foreigners, however just to concentrate on one.

As early as 2005 a study on the current fingerprinting system in America was published. It showed that if only two index fingers were fingerprinted, then the likelihood of thwarting the system was fairly substantial. For people with weak fingerprints, recognition would be severely degraded. Once a determined individual realized this, he could work on wearing down his own fingerprints, so that the system would not accurately record them.

Here is a link to the study.

Here is a link to the short hand version of the study.

This study was published in 2005. As of now, America will be moving to a 10 finger fingerprint system. Although no one is saying so, this must be a result of that study.

So here we are in 2007, two years after we’ve been informed that the two finger index system doesn’t work, and Japan is now instituting that system. That is from conception to implementation, Japan put into place a system well known to be deficient in thwarting determined individuals. People should be shocked and outraged. Instead … silence.

The system in America cost $10 billion dollars, I wonder how much money is being wasted on Japan’s system.

As far as the two finger index system, the secretary of Homeland Security (in the US) notes that it has been used to stop 2000 criminals. Were any of these people terrorists? No, the “criminals” were stopped in relation to drug trade and “illegal” labor. $10,000,000,000 divided by 2000 people apprehended (related to drugs and “illegal” workers). That means $5,000,000 per apprehended person. Is he serious?

Rest assured that the new system ten finger system will be easily thwarted by any truly determined person.

It’s looks like slim pickings for Americasn feeling nostalgic for thanksgiving tomorrow in Nagoya. I think the Hilton Hotel has a dinner, and I would probably take my family, not even so much as to celebrate the holiday as to eat turkey, but I have to work.

If only there was place offering a lunch menu.

I do have a friend selling microwavable turkey dinners from America. I haven’t had a chance to try these yet though.

It’s a bit strange, but even after 13 years in Japan, Thanksgiving is the holiday I still feel the most remiss about missing. If by chance you read this and live in Nagoya and know of a restaurant serving turkey lunch, please let me know …

There’s been a lot going on in Japanese politics, so I wanted to update everyone.

First, there are a few things I don’t really understand.

I don’t understand what the substance of a grand coalition between the LDP and the DPJ would have been.

I don’t understand why Ozawa even considered it.

I don’t understand why Ozawa resigned.

I don’t understand why the DPJ leadership begged him to come back.

I don’t understand why he came back.

Okay, that aside let me go over in detail what I do understand.

ahem … [head scratching] …

Okay, I’ll have to come back to this later …

Last year in June, I wrote an editorial about the new law in Japan requiring foreigners to be fingerprinted when they enter Japan. Recently, through email a reporter contacted me in reference to the editorial. I was asked some questions about the new law (which goes into effect this month). Here are the questions I was asked, along with my answers.

Read the rest of this entry »

In the post previous to this one I mentioned the Ron Paul money bomb.

I checked at about 11:55 PM, east cost American time, at Ron Paul’s campaign site. Total contributions then we’re about $2,700,00 for this quarter. As I write this they are over $3,800,000. That would suggest that in about 7 hours, he has raised over a million dollars.

I will also note that shortly after it turned 12:00 AM on the east coast of America, just after 2:00 PM in Japan, I donated $100 to Ron Paul’s campaign. This is the first donation I have ever given to a presidential candidate ever. I look at it this way, at the very minimum he is educating young people about economics, and that is worth contributing to. Look at the top candidates in either party. Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton … do these people actually care about the constitution? Do they care about people? Do they care about economics and policy?

I look at today as a chance to make a statement. I hope a really loud one.

Now if you think this has nothing to do with Japan. Guess again. I’m not just talking about the kind of antics you get from Ozawa and Fukuda, but the fact that monetary policy in Japan is, as it is in America, centrally planned. Is it really even conceivable that a bureaucrat, a sort of technocrat, should be able to set interest rates better than the market would? Just read the article I’ve linked.

Governor Fukui says, “But we need to pay greater attention to the risk of prolonged easy policy, even as downside risks grow.” How in the world is he suppose to know what the best rate would be? And even if he knew it, who in the world would have the courage to raise the rate for the good of the economy knowing it would incur everyone’s wrath?

It’s late (for me) and I’m rambling. Good luck Ron Paul!

… a group of people are attempting to elevate Ron Paul’s status as a candidate by simultaneously donating $100 on the same day. Their goal is the get 100,000 people total, which would mean a $10,000,000 combined donation.

So far they have nearly 11,700 people who have pledged.

I think it terms of supporters who are sincerely passionate about their candidate, Ron Paul must be leading the pack.

Is it actually even possible to be passionate about any of the other front runners in the US presidential primaries?

Certainly the Internet is changing the whole dynamics of the election. A passionate following on the Internet translates into cash. Cash translates into money for advertising. Advertising translates into name recognition. Name recognition translates into more support …

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Given the situation in Afghanistan, I don’t see the Japanese as being ready for this.

I don’t even think the Americans are.

You have to watch this video.